|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crowd divided at power plant hearing (San Antonio Current, 12/22/04) Michael Austin, a Monte Vista neighborhood resident, referred to Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu's Art of War in his endorsement of the plant: "We have to know our strengths and weaknesses. Coal is plentiful and cheap. It may not be perfect, but it seems to be the best." Coal is abundant; the U.S. supply is estimated to last 230 more years. However, several plant opponents pointed out that if coal, like many fossil fuels, did not receive federal subsidies, the price would be higher. Nor does the price reflect the environmental damage due to mining, transportation, coal-combustion waste, or health effects on communities and miners. Corporate teams, built by a tank (USA Today, 12/20/04) Tactical Tanks is culturally inevitable. The corporate world long ago glommed onto Sun Tzu's The Art of War as a guide for its winner-take-all pursuit of success. Those lessons have become gospel. Exhibit A: The Apprentice. And with no new worlds left to conquer, people are creating new ways to push themselves, whether it's taking a billionaire's dare to have tea atop a hot-air balloon or ingesting live worms to determine where fear factors into your life. The way of the fist (Cricket365, 12/14/04) "The Art of War" was written in the sixth century BC, by a Chinese man called Sun Tzu. In an age where bamboo prints, hung above Feng Shui koi ponds, are common from Shanghai to Sheffield, we should not be surprised that Sun Tzu has found an audience well beyond his intended Chinese military contemporaries... The trick is, like the tabloid horoscope, to write something that appeals to the individual and is at the same time broad enough to fitted to a broad range of situations. Pandering to the TV advertising trend, I will frame South Africa's first Test against England (which begins in Port Elizabeth on Friday) in terms of bloody war. The key to understanding the battlefield is Sun Tzu's writing: "Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective." Hit-squad warrior who knew when the time was up for conglomerates (The Times, 12/6/04) Roger Carr did not serve in the Army, but he has a soldier’s zeal when it comes to the boardroom. He talks about “liberating” value from underperforming businesses, and keeps a copy of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War close at hand... The leader in ten questions: Q. Do you read books on management? If so, which one has influenced you the most? A. I've read many. There are two which probably stood the test of time. One is Sun Tzu: The Art of War , which is still very relevant in terms of strategy and tactics, whether in military sense or business sense. The other is Jack Welch And The GE Way by Robert Slater. Clearly it's a little less fashionable than it used to be, but I think the principles are good basic rules for business. Operational Command and Control in the Information Age (US Army, 12/2/04) The true nature of war is often misunderstood or ignored. The aphorisms of Sun Tzu are taken literally while the dicta of Clausewitz are considered irrelevant in the information age. The importance of technological innovations is recognized, while human and psychological factors of command and control are neglected. Senior leaders are apparently unwilling to delegate authority and establish intermediate levels of command or use existing echelons. To rescue Haiti from chaos (Washington Times, 12/1/04) The great Chinese warrior-philosopher Sun Tzu once said, "In ancient times, skillful warriors first made themselves invincible, and then watched for vulnerability in their opponents." Poor policies in Latin America are a U.S. weakness. So long as China expands its sphere of influence in America's neighborhood, and so long as Cuba contends for regional support, the United States is in a precarious position. Developing a proactive and successful strategy for Haiti, can begin American reassertion of influence and weaken the threat of inference in our hemisphere. Death, destruction and despair? Thrash on, Megadeth (Seattle Times, 11/26/04) Megadeth play the Moore in Seattle Saturday night as part of their "Blackmail the Universe" tour. Born of Dave Mustaine's departure from Metallica in the early '80s, the band has gone through lineup changes of Spinal Tap proportions, though always held together by Mustaine. As the band's Web site notes helpfully, Mustaine has hazel eyes, strawberry blond hair, and his favorite books are — surprise! — Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" and Machiavelli's "The Prince." Inside the Beltway (Washington Times, 11/22/04) Julius Hobson Jr., the top lobbyist for the American Medical Association, has learned from Sun Tzu's ancient text, "The Art of War," as well as a certain professional football coach in plotting his lobbying strategy, a subject he teaches at George Washington University. "He studied the strategy of Joe Gibbs , the Redskins coach who had won three Super Bowls, buttressed by an ability to modify his game plan at half-time," says the author, who adds of this disappointing football season: "Not sure that doctors would want Gibbs right now as their guru." Nastiness defines UF-FSU rivalry (Sun-Sentinel, 11/20/04) So it started. And so it continued, emotions growing more bitter until the 2001 game, when Spurrier accused FSU defensive tackle Darnell Dockett of intentionally tearing running back Earnest Graham's anterior cruciate knee ligament and trying to stomp on quarterback Rex Grossman's hand. "It'd probably be good if somebody just spanked him and put him to bed and hope that he wakes up all grown up," Hart said. "The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Spurrier answered. He then quoted Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, who said, "It's better my enemy speak ill of me than not at all." Sustaining the mission (Washington Times, 11/17/04) As Americans watch the events unfolding in Fallujah, Iraq, we should consider the words of the Chinese military philosopher Sun Tzu who said, "Those skilled in war subdue the enemy's army without battle. They capture his cities without assaulting them and overthrow his state without protracted operations. They conquer by strategy." America must heed this maxim in the war against terrorism. Vietnam: The war that will not end (Washington Times, 11/14/04) U.S. war colleges, distraught at the failure began in the 1970s to read again military classics like Karl Von Clausewitz's "On War" and Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" to garner the wisdom these ancients transmitted in the hopes of not repeating Vietnam. Probably no war in American history violated as many classical aphorisms, particularly those of the Chinese master Sun Tzu, who said: "War is a matter of vital importance to the State; the province of life or death; the road to survival or ruin." Thunder in the East (Shanghai Daily, 11/10/04) To attract an international market, Leung has put in some Eastern philosophy -- the story develops according to a strategy from ``The Art of War,'' written by ancient Chinese sage Sun Tzu of the late Spring and Autumn Period (770-467 BC). ``For me, a charming man should not have a naughty young face,'' says Leung. ``A man's golden age of maturity is his 30s or 40s. That's why I choose the three actors. ``I began to admire Chiba when I studied film in Japan." Business (Wall Street Journal, 11/9/04) "The art of war," by the ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu, is a favorite book of Carly Fiorina's. Perhaps with good reason. Few have faced the challenges Ms. Fiorina has since Hewlett-Packard Co. in 1999 made her its first chief executive to be chosen from outside the company. Her appointment sent a thunderbolt through H-P and through the corporate world, where ascensions of female executives to top jobs were still relatively rare. Franks sees longer Iraq tour (Richmond Times Dispatch, 11/6/04) Franks' "American Soldier" traces his life from his childhood in central Oklahoma through his experiences fighting in Vietnam and leading U.S. and coalition forces in the Middle East. His book includes some of his poetry and repeatedly quotes Sun Tzu, who wrote "Art of War," and other philosophers such as Edmund Burke, who once said: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Fast Forward 2005: Fast Take (Fast Company, 11/1/04) No more Mr. Nice Guy. Who invited Sun Tzu back in the room? Business is war again, and only the relentless aggressors have a chance of surviving in the global business culture. Transform your business accordingly. Ovitz Defends Disney Record Between Sharp Exchanges (Reuters, 10/28/04) Sitting in the witness stand for a third day, Ovitz brushed aside questions about his reputation as The Most Powerful Man in Hollywood, his fondness for publicity and his familiarity with the Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." "The concept of being the most powerful person in anything is ludicrous," said Ovitz, who joined Disney in 1995 after co-founding Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and building a career as a top entertainment dealmaker. Asian-style leadership (China Daily, 10/25/04) As one conference participant noted, it was ironic that Westerners were setting up shop here to teach Asians about leadership when Asians had a thing or two to teach the West too - not least Sun Tzu, whose The Art Of War is now a staple in many an MBA course. U.S.-Taiwan military collaboration (Korea Herald, 10/22/04) In return, West Point cadets have visited the military academy in southern Taiwan for a two-week orientation. A lieutenant colonel from Taiwan, Ken Chang, has been teaching a course at West Point on Sun Tzu, the Chinese strategic thinker who wrote the classic, "Art of War," 2500 years ago. Wooden's a Coach for Life (Los Angeles Times, 10/14/04) Yet key personnel from the Western Air Defense Sector — a unit of the Washington Air National Guard that is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command — spent three days studying Wooden's ideas without ever meeting him. "In the military, people study Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and a French general, Jomini," said Lt. Col. Eric Vogt. "Leadership is leadership. I think what Coach Wooden says is extremely credible and very directly applicable." Stan Goff interviews Luke Hiken (From the Wilderness, 10/7/04) Rumsfeld's theories about the RMA (Revolution in Military Affairs) [are] a gross miscalculation. How can retired General Tommy Franks possibly answer, as he did in an interview on national television about his book, American Soldier, when asked why the U.S. military wasn't prepared for a guerilla resistance and war in Iraq, "[We] didn't know what was going to happen"? Having an overall plan is the cornerstone of all military strategy since Sun Tzu wrote about its importance in the Art of War over 2000 years ago. Andrew Bacevich on Tommy Franks (NewLeftReview, 10/7/04) Behind that façade, now Franks wants it known, was an erudite student of his profession and an original thinker. (Sensitive as well: Franks writes poetry, and American Soldier includes several unfortunate excerpts of his verse.) During his apprenticeship, he ‘had read about both war and peace: the accumulated wisdom of Sun Tzu and Clausewitz, Bertram [sic] Russell and Gandhi'. Moreover, Franks insists, right from the outset he had been a ‘maverick' who found himself as a consequence ‘frequently on the outside of the Army's conservative mainstream'. SciFi: Novel Inspiration (Business Week, 10/5/04) And then there is Robinson's Mars series. It speculates about the technology required to terraform a planet so people could live there. But the books also describe a bitter environmental struggle pitting "greens" who believe they have the right to transform Mars against "reds" who will do anything to keep it pristine. Does science fiction really influence everyday events? The U.S. Marine Corps thinks so: Its Commandant's Reading List includes Sun Tzu's The Art of War alongside Heinlein's militaristic Starship Troopers (1959). 'Batting will decide the series' (Rediff, 9/24/04) Before every series you are normally reading Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'. So what are you reading this time? [Laughing loudly] Well, I've been reading Clive Woodward's 'Coaching and Winning'. So there might be the odd quote out of that. But, at the moment, I am not to sure. Winning PeopleSoft Is the Easy Part (BusinessWeek, 9/20/04) Oracle CEO Larry Ellison likes to portray himself as a wise warrior, a reader of the Chinese martial philosopher Sun Tzu, and a deep-thinking tactician. And he indeed won a hard-fought victory over the U.S. Justice Dept. when a U.S. District Court judge ruled on Sept. 9 in San Francisco that Oracle's hostile takeover effort against competitor PeopleSoft didn't violate antitrust laws. 2004 Annual Yonsei-Korea Athletic Showdown to Kick Off (Chosun Ilbo, 9/15/04) The school arranged on Sept. 8 a special lecture on “strategies for victory,” for all the school's athletes. Quoting lessons from Sun Tzu's the Art of War, business administration professor Kim Eon-su stepped up to convey the “way to win”. “The athlete's impressions and feelings gotten through the lecture would be very helpful in their actual games,” added Kim. Next Stop, OracleSoft? (Motley Fool, 9/10/04) While the entire letter is a good read for investors, its highlights include one connected to the upcoming trial against Oracle in November: "During the course of the recent antitrust trial, internal Oracle documents came to light demonstrating that Oracle's strategy was as we believed all along -- to create confusion and let PeopleSoft 'twist in the wind.' " No wonder Fool contributor Tom Taulli compared Oracle's actions with Sun Tzu's The Art of War. 'Soft power' can counter PRC's 'three warfares' (Taiwan News, 9/7/04) Besides manufacturing a foundation in its domestic "law" to take over another country, Beijing is also attempting to take advantage of Taiwan's democratic social system by utilizing "psychological and media warfare" strategies to undermine Taiwanese people's morale and confidence in the Democratic Progressive Party government. Such a strategy is hardly original. After all, the ancient Chinese classic "The Art of War," traditionally attributed to the Warring States era military philosopher Sun Tzu, stressed the crucial importance of achieving "shock and awe" prior to, during, and at the end of a military campaign. New national strategy lends insight into China's rise (ISN, 9/3/04) In late July, the Politburo standing committee met for a study session to consider ways to build a “prosperous nation and powerful military” (fuguo qiangbing). The result was a “new” strategy with decidedly ancient roots: “to be able to talk peace, one must be able to make war”. This proverb (nengzhanfang, nengyanhe) and its implications that a strong military helps keep the peace, dates back to concepts put forward by both ancient Rome and the legendary Chinese strategist, Sun Tzu. Youngest Team Captain in at Least 40 Years (Omaha Reader, 9/2/04) Callahan probably couldn't have inherited a quarterback more committed to understanding the West Coast offense. Dailey regularly reads about mental preparation and speaks in aphorisms that underscore his drive to be the best at what he does. In the spring, he read “The Art of War,” a classic of Chinese military strategy written by Sun Tzu, whose principles apply to any type of competition. S.J. public building projects veteran faces daunting task: City Hall (Mercury News, 8/10/04) At 5 feet 1 and 105 pounds, Montenegro works in a world dominated by men, some of whom could easily lift her off the ground with one arm. And that would be a mistake. Montenegro, 46, has a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do and has taught martial arts during the 15 years she has practiced the sport. For intellectual stimulation, she reads Sun Tzu's ancient military treatise, ``The Art of War.'' Generally bad book (Orlando Sentinel, 8/8/04) Franks is fond of quoting Sun Tzu, the Chinese military strategist whose The Art of War has had a 2,400-year publication history, and is as authoritative today as it was in 500 BC. In his "Estimates," Sun Tzu said that the five favored qualities of an effective general are wisdom, sincerity, humanity, courage and strictness... In many ways, American Soldier is one long apology for the state of the Iraqi War. Is it possible that Franks has forgotten that the first fundamental of war is "moral influence . . . which causes people to be in harmony with their leaders"? Sun Tzu said that, too. In Memoir, U.S. General Tells of Gaps in War Plans (New York Times, 8/1/04) In his book, "American Soldier", which goes on sale on Tuesday, General Franks dissects the two combat victories he achieved, in Afghanistan and Iraq. Those efforts are studied as much for their swift successes with more agile forces, as for the murky, unstable postwar environments. General Franks is well known throughout the ranks for his rough language, and he routinely quotes himself firing off large-caliber vulgarities. But the book, written with Malcolm McConnell, also seeks a patina of intellectualism by just as often quoting Shakespeare, Sun Tzu and Clausewitz. Reporters on the Job (Christian Science Monitor, 7/23/04) Traveling through Iraq with the US military has given correspondent Ann Scott Tyson ample opportunity to hear many personal stories. In Ramadi, the scene of fierce recent fighting, she got talking with Marine Cpl. Timothy Felix of New York City, who was recovering from a leg wound. His second tour in Iraq, he told her, has been more difficult for him than the Iraq invasion: the fighting is urban, the firepower more limited. But war has become almost instinctive: "We wake up and shave, and then we get into a firefight." Felix told Ann that he was studying the art of war. "He pulled out a notebook where he had written his interpretation of the five rules of survival of the Chinese military thinker Sun Tzu. He also took the word Tao - which means the way - and came up with trust, abstract, and obedience: Trust in your team, understand the character of people, and take orders." Education a good mix with real life ( Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 7/21/04) A few years ago, I taught a course at Yale. Over dinners, I'd listen to my students talk about their other courses, and in many of these conversations there was one that stood out: Grand Strategy. For many students, this yearlong course was not just a class but a life-altering event. Somehow students in Grand Strategy were applying Thucydides, Kant and Sun Tzu to modern foreign policy crises. They talked excitedly about seeing the connections between big ideas and big events. All Together Now (New York Times, 7/15/04) I trace the current outbreak of droidlike conformity to the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when groupthink became the official substitute for patriotism, and we began to run out of surfaces for affixing American flags. Bill Maher lost his job for pointing out that, whatever else they were, the 9/11 terrorists weren't cowards, prompting Ari Fleischer to warn (though he has since backed down) that Americans "need to watch what they say." Never mind that Sun Tzu says, somewhere in his oeuvre, that while it's soothing to underestimate the enemy, it's often fatal, too. Head wind against LDP, tail wind for Minshuto (Asahi, 7/13/04) Takeda Shingen (1521-1573) is known as a warlord who used kaze, or the wind, in the mottoes he devised for his soldiers. ``Strike fast like the wind'' was one of his mottoes, all taken from ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Zi's book and written on the colors carried by his vaunted cavalry and other troops. Besides the wind, ``forest, fire and mountain'' provided key words for the ``Furinkazan'' mottoes championed by the famous warlord. Getting back to reality, the question now is whether Koizumi's electoral setback will evolve into a political situation where raging gale-force winds could make it difficult for him to stay on in office. Ancient Chinese Game Could Help U.S. Strategists (Reuters, 7/12/04) "A little knowledge and experience of the game of "Go" will be a valuable addition to the American political and military wisdom," says author David Lai, who defected in protest at the crushing of the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement. "Its concepts and tactics are living reflections of Chinese philosophy, strategic thinking, stratagems and tactical interactions," adds Lai, now a professor at the U.S. Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. In his study, "Learning from the Stones," Lai contrasts subtle Chinese thinking articulated by the philosopher Sun Tzu with what he describes as straightforward, force-on-force Western ways descended from ancient Greece. One valley at a time, commander says (Houston Chronicle, 7/11/04) We are taking this one valley at a time. ... But we need a perfect mix of strike operations and civic action. The art of war is just as important as the science of war, as Sun Tzu said 2,000 years ago. You have to address the social and economic conditions that motivate people to fight. If you have nothing to live for, you tend to take chances. But if Afghans have hope, they won't support the terrorists. ... When the Taliban come to ask for food and water, the people will say: "Hit the road." Software Meat Eaters (Motley Fool, 7/7/04) If Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu were transported from 500 B.C. to 2004 A.D., he would probably be a high-paid management guru for the software industry. On his lecture circuit, he would quote such strategies from his best-selling book, The Art of Execution : "Software is a matter of life and death. First, you need to attack your competitor with a sudden all-cash hostile takeover. If this is rebuked, then create disorder by dragging your competitor into the American court system." China's Love of Linux Has Roots in Ancient Past (Linux Insider, 7/6/04) The ancient Chinese military strategist, Sun Tzu, in his book The Art of War , said "If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat." It is a mistake for Microsoft to assume that its toughest competitor is piracy. Maybe it's not even Linux or open source. Microsoft's challenge in China is how to change a mindset that's been ingrained through thousands of years of a great ancient civilization. Now that's a tough fight to win. Rooting hard for the home team (NFL.com, 7/4/04) General George S. Patton made speeches that found their way into locker room pregame speeches. Sun Tzu and his Art of War can be found on the desk tops of football coaches at every level. Vincent T. Lombardi talked of going to battle the way Theodore Roosevelt ordered troops up San Juan Hill. One year the Redskins came to Dallas and John Riggins and the Hogs exited the plane in battle fatigues and army boots. Ancient Chinese War Strategies - The New Corporate Game Plan? (Wharton Journal, 6/30/04) We've all heard of Sun Tzu's The Art of War (well, you should have - it is required reading before joining any b-school program, much in the same vein as Liar's Poker or Barbarians at the Gate). Originally inscribed on bamboo strips around 500 BC, the Chinese military leader's advice in matters of war for emperors and generals has the strength of timeless wisdom. Today, subdue the enemy and win without fighting, know your battleground, maneuver to gain advantage, deceive your opponent, and always seek the high ground are part of the everyday vocabulary of corporate pop culture. Knowing the Enemy (Fox News, 6/29/04) The ancient Chinese warrior Sun Tzu (search) taught his men to "know your enemy" before going into battle. For if "you know your enemy and know yourself," he wrote, "you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." But, Sun Tzu warned, "If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. In my 22 years as an officer of the Marines — from Annapolis to The Basic School to the Naval War College — similar advice was drilled into us: know your enemy. It's sound guidance, pretty basic stuff, really. Yet there are apparently those in our government — people with many years of experience, supposedly learned statesmen, according to their bios and press reports — who somehow don't get it. Firms shown the fastest route to China (Globe and Mail, 6/23/04) Mr. Tait said Canadians looking at the Chinese market should consider adopting the local philosophy that you must "become your opponent" by getting inside their minds in order to compete. Another speaker at the conference quoted the military strategist Sun Tzu, who lived around 500 BC: "If you know your enemy and know yourself, you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat." Winning at the Commodity Game (MarketingProfs, 6/22/04) There is always one company that either refuses to cut prices or always comes in a few dollars above the competitors. This is a sign of a company that understands the inevitable end of a price war and chooses not to play the game. It will accept temporary lean times, and even spend more on branding and marketing during a price war to create a sense of superior value. Such companies are those that read Sun Tzu’s Art of War and took seriously this passage: “If you stand by the river long enough, you will see the bodies of your enemies float by.” Assaults: One more risk local officers face (Lodi News-Sentinel, 6/21/04) The same is true for police officers and deputies who make sure they have back-up or have the upper hand before they even tell suspects they are about to be arrested, Stevens said. He paraphrased "The Art of War" author Sun Tzu: "In the art of war, the acme of skill is to win a battle without actually engaging in violence. In other words, you outmaneuver your opponent so well that resistance is futile." Open Source as Weapon (InternetNews.com, 6/21/04) In fact, IBM is considered by many in the industry to be the Sun Tzu of using open source in the art of war. In 2001, it created Eclipse, an open source application platform that many saw as a way to short-circuit the popularity of Sun's NetBeans platform. Eclipse, the framework for IBM's Rational software division, was reorganized as an independent non-profit in January 2004. The Theater Of Terror (American Daily, 6/18/04) Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher of war wrote of the power of knowledge, “Know your enemy and know yourself and in a hundred battles you will never be in peril.” Knowledge coupled with bold action will bring down the curtain on the theater of terror. Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines: What Would Sun Tzu Say? (United States Army, 6/16/04) In the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), while Operation Enduring Freedom aims to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines (OEF-P) continues with little fanfare. The operation began in response to the kidnappings of U.S. citizens by the Abu Sayyef Group (ASG), a radical Muslim organization backed by al-Qaeda... In his classic book on strategy, The Art of War, Sun Tzu wrote, "Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril." Understanding this principle is essential. You can be a Christian and be hard-nosed' (Chicago Sun-Times, 6/13/04) Bible-related literature isn't the only thing [Dusty] Baker reads, he's quick to add, motioning toward another stack of books and papers behind his desk. "I read Sun Tzu and The Art of War, trying to get some understanding, too. The Book of Five Rings [by a 17th century Japanese samurai] and Attila the Hun, about leadership," he says. "I try to understand, like I said, that if there's a north, there's a south. If there's an east, there's a west. Know what I mean?" The Global Warrior (Tech Central Station, 6/8/04) Reagan turned everything around. Working with a clear and compelling overview, Reagan's team designed a complex strategy of defeating the Soviets. As the renowned Chinese strategist Sun Tzu taught, he won the Cold War (which can be compared to World War III) without firing a shot -- a great strategic feat. Feuds (Variety, 6/8/04) Despite his obsession with Sun Tzu's strategic masterpiece "The Art of War," Ovitz made a fundamental mistake in tactics. His empire finally fell apart because while his feuds started over business, they also became personal. And then the chickens came home to roost. (As Sun Tzu says, "One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be endangered in a hundred engagements.") Pressure piles up on Figo (Scotsman Sport, 6/3/04) The new coach is Luiz Felipe Scolari, who once punched a government official who dared to criticise him for excluding Romario from Brazil’s World Cup squad. During that tournament, Scolari kept fragments of a copy of The Art of War by his bedside for inspiration. Chinese general Sun Tzu wrote the 13-chapter tome in 5th century BC, and he details the most effective methods of subjugating enemies. The central tenet is that most opponents are defeated before an engagement. Defeating Terrorists on the Waterfront (Information Warfare, 6/3/04) Article by U.S. Navy's Commander James Pelkofski. "Stealing a page from Sun Tzu, al Qaeda preaches to its disciples the value of knowing your enemy. Terrorists instruct that "winning the battle is dependent on knowing the enemy's secrets, movements, and plans." Sun Tzu's timeless edict of knowing the enemy applies equally well for developing successful Navy antiterrorism/force protection measures." Lessons From The Art Of War (Builder Online, 6/1/04) Some time between 700 B.C. AND 200 B.C. a Chinese general, thought to be named Sun Tzu, prepared a text that has become known as The Art of War. The advice contained therein is still relevant today, especially where it pertains to small- and mid-sized builders (SMB) versus regional and national builders (RNB). Aiptek International’s new CIS (Digi Times, 6/1/04) Aiptek’s brand acceptance and market presence around the world helped ensure a successful IPO in 2003. One year after the IPO, the company decided that it needed to extend its product differentiation strategy and reinforce its branding. The result is a new positioning as a wireless multimedia electronics solution provider and a corporate identity system that fuses the original company values with contributions from Sun Tzu’s military tactics and influence from the principles of Tai Chi Chuan. Nepal's king delays naming premier (Washington Times, 5/29/04) After two-and-a-half years of military operations aimed at disarming the Maoist guerrillas, RNA platoons and companies have been disarmed by the Maoists in several encounters, adding modern weapons to the rebel armory. The rebels seem to have a two-pronged strategy: preparing for a centralized armed offensive while seeking a united front with antimonarchists to mount an urban uprising. Media reports suggest that the Maoists, following the lead of the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, have begun a recruiting drive with the slogan "one family, one militia member," to hasten their "strategic offensive" — the final phase before victory in Mao Tse-tung's theory of People's War. Stress crushes arteries like squished Twinkies (East Texas Review, 5/27/04) Rohack shared some ancient Asian philosophy with the audience to make his points. “In 400 BC, Asian philosopher Sun Tzu stated it clearly, ‘Know the enemy and know yourself, you will never be in peril.’ In 1900, the Western medical community concluded there was no enemy, a.k.a., and no potential threat between the mind and body. It has taken a century but medicine has finally come around, realizing that the enemy is stress and it can reek havoc on the body, especially cardiac health,” Rohack said. It is no surprise that Dr. Rohack holds an undergraduate degree in psychology. Neighbors' Ire Equals Scale of Ovitz Plan (Los Angeles Times, 5/27/04) The residents asked not to be named, by the way. Ovitz, explained one neighbor, used to hand out copies of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" when he ran the Creative Artists Agency. "This is a man who'll sue us," said another jittery foe. While we were chatting in front of Ovitz's property, a Porsche Carrera zipped up the street. "That's him," one of the residents said. "Let's move out of the way or he'll run us over." Sane soldiers are fighting an insane war (Toronto Star, 5/23/04) More than 2,000 years ago, the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu began the futile quest for a morality governing military conduct and operations. Believing that these noble principles will be respected must make it easier for the soldier to prepare to fight an enemy who has signed the same treaties, but once engaged in battle they leave the moral community and, like animals or the criminally insane, they hear only gibberish when the voice of the law speaks to them. Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (Council on Foreign Relations, 5/21/04) We have a working definition of grand strategy at Yale, where I co-teach a course in this, as [former Senator] Gary Hart [D-Colo.] knows, because he's joined us for this course with my colleagues Paul Kennedy [director, international security studies, Yale University] and Charlie Hill [distinguished fellow, international security studies, Yale University]. And for us grand strategy is simply the calculated relationship of means to large ends. A small end would be something like going out for a pizza. But a large end would be perhaps the fate of a nation or the fate of a corporation, or something really important in the world. And there is a tradition of thinking about grand strategies that goes back 2,500 years to Thucydides and Sun Tzu. And this is pretty much the way we try to teach it at Yale. Retreat on rules for wartime dishonors core U.S. values (USA Today, 5/16/04) Attempts to set rules for conducting war have been made for centuries, dating back at least to Chinese warrior Sun Tzu in the sixth century B.C. In 1865, a Confederate officer was executed for murdering Union prisoners of war, and others were punished. The Geneva Conventions, written in fits and starts during the past 150 years, are the most concerted effort to ban war atrocities. Weapon of War (Front Page Magazine, 5/15/04) Since the Algerian war (1954-1962), the idea of an “asymmetric war” became the guiding principle of the anti-West strategy. Inspired on the “indirect combat” of Sun-Tzu – whose “The Art of War” already circulated in official editions in the USSR and its satellites in the 1950s –, the concept is essentially that of a fight in which one of the contending parties does not admit any kind of constraints to its actions. The Sage Commander (Boston Globe, 5/12/04) Don Chiofaro, son of a Belmont cop, model for Tom Wolfe's high-living, highly extended real estate mogul in the novel "A Man in Full," is preparing for the fight of his life. He has hired a law firm and is calling in chits from his friends. And studying the art of war. With the battle now joined with Tishman Speyer Properties -- a "gang of pirates" as Chiofaro calls them -- Boston's builder of International Place has taken to citing an ancient Chinese strategy manual, "The Art of War," as a road map for his campaign to head off foreclosure by his new lender. What I Learned From The Sopranos (Inc. Magazine, 5/11/04) That Tony Soprano has muscled aside Tony Roberts should be no surprise. Clever marketing shtick like Tony Soprano on Management follows in a long tradition of works that derive sage business advice from historical figures. Machiavelli is an obvious suspect; his name has given not just an adjective but books like The Boss: Machiavelli on Managerial Leadership . A few years ago there was an obsession with the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, and a raft of books emerged applying his "art of war" thinking to every imaginable business situation. Spy museum should be one mission on a D.C. trip (Tri-City Herald, 5/11/04) There were many oddities: A listening device with solar batteries that looked like a tree stump, set up by the CIA near a Soviet military base. A lipstick pistol that fired one shot, used by the KGB in the Cold War. Equipment and belongings found in the wreckage of Francis Gary Powers' U2 spy plane when it was shot down over Soviet territory in 1960. Exhibits and photos tell the stories of: Chinese General Sun-tzu, born about 510 B.C., whose book The Art of War was required reading for Japanese military officers in 1941. Beyond Madrid: Winning Against Terrorism (Council on Foreign Relations, 5/6/04) Ladies and gentlemen, I have been frank with you, because friends should be able to talk frankly with each other. There is too much at stake for all of us to hide behind diplomatic niceties or platitudes. I offer not criticism but well-intentioned observations based on our experience in Southeast Asia. If we are to win the war against terrorism, we must, as Sun Tze in "The Art of War" says, "Understand the enemy." And we must, all of us, Muslims and non-Muslims, Americans, Europeans, Arabs, and Asians, unite against it. But we must create the conditions that will make this essential unity possible. Military Planning: Too tech for our own good (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/2/04) Petraeus, like all West Point graduates, has read Sun Tzu's "The Art of War," wherein it was written 2,500 years ago, "The worst policy is to attack cities." Thirteen years ago, Gen. Colin Powell, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was worried about the same thing, which is why he advised President George H.W. Bush not to send U.S. forces in the Gulf War into Baghdad. Troops in Iraq killed, wounded because of brass inaction (Jacksonville Daily News, 4/30/04) The central theme of Sun Tzu's timeless book, "The Art of War," is for commanders to take care of their troops. If one of his generals had sent warriors into battle with defective chariots, I'll bet you a fortune cookie that the offender's head would have quickly decorated the end of a pike. But that's far from the case in the 2004 U.S. Army. And a classic example of leadership negligence is our soldiers' current chariot, the Humvee. The Thinking Man's Manager (Financial Mail, 4/27/04) Movers and Shakers: The Brains and Bravado Behind Business summarises the lives, work and impact of more than 100 management thinkers and business leaders to provide a fascinating and readable insight into the evolution of commercial philosophy. Peter Drucker (The Concept of the Corporation, The Practice of Management), Theodore Levitt (Marketing Myopia), Niccolò Machiavelli (The Prince), Tom Peters (A Passion for Excellence), Adam Smith (The Wealth of Nations) and Sun Tzu (The Art of War). Warrior who makes Jack Welch sound like a wimp (The Times, 4/26/04) Sharman hails from a long line of soldiers and says he has learnt much about management from reading books on military history. He cites Machiavelli’s The Prince and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as instructive reads. “I’m more interested in looking at case studies,” he says. “I like the ability to interpret myself. I’m very interested in finding out what actually happened in a business situation as opposed to theory.” Also see interview with Lord Sharman. Supply and command (Boston Globe, 4/25/04) If you read the business press, it's easy to get the impression that the civilian and military worlds are perfectly analogous. In their daily work, CEOs plan "strategies," COOs execute "tactics," and market researchers collect "intelligence." Weak firms are vulnerable to "hostile takeovers," and "guerrilla marketing" was last decade's hot trend. Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is a perennial presence on the business shelves. In cyberwar game, US Army confronts enemies within (Forbes, 4/22/04) And the "enemy" isn't al Qaeda or Iraqi insurgents. It's a team led by none other than the National Security Agency. Cyber warfare, a subset of classic information war that goes back as far as ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, has pushed its way into U.S. military curricula as the Internet has become pervasive. Schwarzenegger and the danger ahead (WorldNetDaily, 4/22/04) As in the case of the legislative spending caps, Schwarzenegger didn't get quite everything he wanted, but he got most of it. He knows, in other words, that politics isn't just a matter of having your way; it is often necessary to let your adversary win a point or two. Or, as the great Sun Tzu said in his 4th-century treatise on "The Art of War," always leave your enemy a line of retreat. Flunking the combat test in Iraq (WorldNetDaily, 4/20/04) Both Gens. Sanchez and Eaton need to eyeball "The Art of War" and infuse the new Iraqi army's leaders with the five constant factors of war: Moral Law; Heaven; Earth; The Commanders; Methods and Discipline. It's never too late to learn from Sun Tzu's 2,500-year-old time-tested rules that have been used down through the ages to forge countless scores of great fighting outfits. Taking the Campaign to the People, One Doorstep at a Time (Washington Post, 4/18/04) One strategist with the Ohio campaign describes an organization that is "almost military" in its structure and aims. The analogy is not chosen lightly. At the Ohio headquarters here, staff members motivate themselves with quotations from Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu's "Art of War," a favored text of many conservatives. Optics in paradise (Baltimore Business Journal, 4/14/04) While executives have long dropped names such as philosophers Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and Vito Corleone as sources of insight on how to guide companies in corporate America, Essex has adopted a lyric from the Buffett song "Cliches" as its guiding principle in 2004: "Say what you mean and mean what you say." Are you a CUT above? (United States Air Force, 4/9/04) Unity is singleness of purpose and focus. It is the pulling together of individuals in the realization that the whole is greater that the sum of each individual part. Unity implies agreement. It is the acknowledgement of an established bond so the unit can forge together, as one, toward the goal. Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese war philosopher described the ultimate value of unity this way: “He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious.” How to Win the War on Terrorism (Cato Institute, 4/9/04) The Chinese strategist Sun Tzu admonished that "one who does not know the enemy ... will be in danger in every battle." As long as the United States continues to misunderstand al Qaeda and the nature of the war on terrorism, we will not only be in danger of losing every battle, but also the war itself. Can Wilko save Shenhua? (Shanghai Daily, 4/5/04) "All I'm going to do is to dedicate my best to Shenhua while I'm here,'' says the Englishman. "In addition, I think it's a privilege to be a football manager as the job can offer the opportunity to experience a different culture.'' It's an opportunity that Wilkinson has taken on enthusiastically: He enjoys traditional Chinese food at the training complex's dining room with all the players, drinks green tea, reads the classic "Art of War'' by Sun-tzu, and calls the ability to correctly pronounce the name of his boys a "great achievement.'' Hero of the nation (The Australian, 4/3/04) Franks does not have much time for hero worship. "Somebody asked me one time, 'Who is your favourite person in history?' And I said: 'Well, probably several of them,"' he told Cigar Aficionado. "One of them is Sun Tzu, because anyone who can write a total of 78 pages translated into English that lasts 2500 years and still represents effective military principles is someone to be admired. Chinese philosphy influences Starkey, Lady Tigers offense (The Advocate, 4/1/04) On the corner of Bob Starkey's desk is a copy of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." The dust jacket is torn. The binding is cracked. Some of the passages are yellowed from use. The book gives the impression of being in perpetual motion. Much like Bob Starkey's mind. The motion philosophy is the Lady Tigers' offense of choice. Starkey, an LSU assistant coach, is both its student and its disciple. Bosses learn from battles (News & Observer, 3/29/04) Using war experiences to plot business strategy is not a new idea, noted Will Mitchell, a professor of corporate strategy at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. The first such book was the Chinese Gen. Sun Tzu's classic "The Art of War," written about 500 B.C. He said businesses can, indeed, learn from the mistakes and successes of military leaders... "These books help people frame ideas and give them language to frame their ideas," Mitchell said. "That can be very useful." NOAA Focus Shifts Under Retired Admiral (Tampa Tribune, 3/26/04) "Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be total,'' advised ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu. For Conrad Lautenbacher, these are words to live by. He runs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a little-noticed government office that provides federal agencies with details on weather patterns and environmental conditions. A retired Navy vice admiral, Lautenbacher brings a military focus to the agency, which has more than 12,000 employees and a $3.7 billion budget. Coming of age in wartime Singapore (Newsday, 3/25/04) The author sets Claude's inner turmoil within the larger context of war. Her narrative shifts cinematically from character to character, from present to past, from plot to subplot. Generals plan campaigns, spies snoop and interrogators torture. Meanwhile, Claude's grandmother quotes sagely from Sun Tzu's ancient text, "The Art of War," and his mother sneaks off for adulterous trysts. Winning polls is an art (Economic Times, 3/23/04) For political parties locked in a do-or-die battle in the parliamentary polls, the key to sure victory could be in Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu’s renowned “Art of War”. All rules of war are applicable to elections, says a new book — “The Art of Electoral War” — and goes on to explain how to read minds and defeat rivals with carefully planned strategy. DMN critics talk 'Sopranos' (Dallas Morning News, 3/22/04) No inner turmoil or conflict for Paulie. And he’s such a reliable source for comic relief, like the way he’s listening to the Sun Tzu (or in Paulie parlance, Sun Tah-zu) audiotape when he drives by the lawn crew and pulls over to do a little head-whacking. And it’s another instance when the show displays its brilliance at using background media as color commentary, almost like footnotes. So when Paulie is stopping the car to go over and engage in some shovel-swinging negotiations, the last thing we hear on the tape is “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” And could it be some foreshadowing, since one of Paulie’s defining traits is being absolutely incapable of choosing when not to fight. Va.'s Extended Session Fraying Nerves (Washington Post, 3/20/04) Warner invited the Democrats over for pizza at the governor's mansion Thursday night, but only a handful took him up on the offer. Ellen Qualls, his press secretary, has taken down "The Art of War" book cover that was wallpaper on her computer screen and replaced it with a calming scene of snow-laden trees. [Sonshi.com's note: Leaders read Sun Tzu but it intimidates others.] Spy exchange and political settlements (Joongang Daily, 3/16/04) Politicians know, or know of, the famous Chinese classic. But in the political strife over impeachment, the teaching doesn't seem to have been recalled. As citizens grow more averse to politics, politicians are waging losing battles. Is Israel bound by International Humanitarian Law? (AMIN, 3/13/04) Since old history, there was a desire to render war more “human”. The Chinese Sun Zi wrote around 500 B.C. “the Art of War” and recommends to win victory over enemies morally, and to avoid harming civilians and their goods. This book can be considered the most ancient text of what we call today the IHL. Emerging display technologies on the rise (DigiTimes, 3/11/04) Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu emphasized the importance of knowledge, both external and internal. In the spirit of Sun Tzu’s wisdom, iSuppli/Stanford Resources will assist in supplying knowledge to Chinese companies at its FPD China 2004 seminar in Shanghai on March 18. The Clash of the Barbecue Titans (New York Times, 3/10/04) We arrived in Tokyo on a steamy August afternoon and convened a war council, resolving to follow the advice of the great Sun Tzu, and study our enemy. We made the rounds of grill restaurants. The Japanese are at least as grill-crazy as we Americans are. Grilling turns up everywhere: at street festivals, in rough-and-tumble yakitori shops, in elaborate kaiseki (tea-ceremony-inspired) meals, and at exclusive restaurants where dinner for four costs more than I paid for my first car. The art of fighting the dengue outbreak (The Jakarta Post, 3/10/04) Millennia have passed since Sun Tzu wrote his extraordinary treatise The Art of War, yet the wisdom of it is still relevant and can be applied to a different kind of war today, one that is no less devastating in effect -- the effort to control the spread of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Colonel earns logistics distinction (Fort Leavenworth Lamp, 3/7/04) Walden said some of his work over the past year enhanced his visibility within the field and probably led to his nomination. "The publishers of the magazine sat in on two of the presentations I've done this past year; one was back in May and the other in December. I also wrote an article for the magazine earlier this year where I compared the writings of Sun Tzu to today's supply chains," Walden said. Hackers: who are they and how can they be stopped? (Computing, 3/3/04) 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' This classic quote from the 2500 year old Chinese book on military strategy, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, has been more recently applied to many areas of business. In the IT world, perhaps it is appropriate to the most talked-about issue in the industry today - the fight against cybercrime. `Chess at 700 miles an hour' (Toronto Star, 2/28/04) Asked which ancient philosophers might have made big-time table hockey players, Marinoff has a couple to put forward: Pythagoras as a player, and Sun Tzu as a coach... "Sun Tzu, who wrote The Art of War, showed wisdom, clarity and humanity in sizing up his adversaries and coming up with winning strategies. What is true of war is also true of sport (the moral equivalent of war). I'd want Sun Tzu as a coach in my corner." Nader should hang up torch, join fight for democracy (Pasadena Star News, 2/26/04) Shortly after the 2002 midterm elections, I sat at a dinner party next to a young aide to a conservative Republican U.S. senator. After gloating about how disastrous that election was for Democratic candidates, she smugly said: "The Democrats just don't get it. They haven't read 'The Art of War." I have often reflected on that young aide's comment. Though arrogant, her words rang true. China-Taiwan arms race quickens (Asia Times, 2/24/04) China is carrying out a major military reform by reducing the numbers of its military but simultaneously improving the quality of technology, weapons systems and training... Because of this secrecy, which is based not only on communist habits but also on the received wisdom of Chinese military thinking, dating back to Sun Zi (Sun Tzu), it is all but impossible to gain an accurate or objective impression of China's real capabilities. Consumers are winners in cellphone dogfight (Calgary Herald, 2/10/04) "In this business, you have to read The Art of War. The little guy does not go up to the biggest guys on the block and poke them with a stick," said Bell Mobility president Michael Neuman, who took part in a panel discussion last week at an RBC Capital Markets investor conference in Banff. "I can do math as well as the next guy and I have yet to figure out a way to make what Microcell is doing economic in the long-term. The company is going to bleed, and bleed significantly." It doesn’t matter whether Iraq’s weapons are ever found (The Union Leader, 2/9/04) One of Sun Tzu’s tenets in “The Art of War” suggests: if strong, feign weakness; if weak, feign strength...What would have been the outcry had the Allies mounted a pre-emptive strike against the Nazis in 1938 only to discover that the Luftwaffe was a feint? Does Saddam have any ownership for the results of his strategy? Does it really matter whether WMD are ever found? How to Win the War on Terrorism (CATO Institute, 2/3/04) The Chinese strategist Sun Tzu admonished that "one who does not know the enemy ... will be in danger in every battle." As long as the United States continues to misunderstand al Qaeda and the nature of the war on terrorism, we will not only be in danger of losing every battle, but also the war itself. Intelligence vital to ‘know your enemy' (Winona Daily, 2/2/04) To improve the current "blind" approach to potential and real threats to the United States, our policy makers in Congress and the administration should take time to read, reflect and understand the wisdom of Sun Tzu. In the U.S. Marine Corps, "The Art of War" is one of the required readings for both non-commissioned and commissioned officers. Hopefully, soon this classic will be read by those making national security policy related to the war on terrorism. Business books: ''The Art of the Advantage'' (Tallahassee Democrat, 2/1/04) Much of the advice dispensed in "The Art of the Advantage" resembles that in Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." Krippendorff even includes numerous quotes from it. "The Art of the Advantage" may come to rival Sun Tzu's work as a source of Eastern wisdom that can be put to practical use by Western business leaders. War Between the States Escalates (Business Wire, 1/30/04) North Carolina's recent strategy to attract and capture new biotech business from Boston appears to have been ripped from the pages of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War," rather than any business journal. Planning nirvana (Toronto Star, 1/28/04) FAVOURITE FOOD: "I love all types of food, but if you ask me as to what my preference is, my favourite is fish. One, it cooks very easily. Two, it's always available fresh. Three, it's healthy. In India, I like pomfret. Here, I like a lovely, grilled salmon steak, done medium-rare, just pan-seared in a little olive oil with fresh basil. Then, when you eat it, a squeeze of lemon and maybe some fresh ground pepper." MOTTO: "Find something that you love doing, then find someone to pay you to do it." READING LIST: "I'm reading The Art Of War right now." Helping Americans be all they can be (The Hill, 1/20/04) Since before Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War, successful generals have, whenever possible, carefully chosen their battles. retired Gen. Wesley Clark has done so, too. By avoiding Iowa, he is arguably the winner of that muddled contest. This week, President Bush will upstage coverage of the Iowa caucuses with his State of the Union address, during which he will not only push every patriotic button he can reach but will unveil an expanded domestic agenda. By Thursday, when the press gets around to covering New Hampshire, Iowa will be a memory and Clark’s message may well have set the agenda for the nation’s first primary. New Look at Old Wisdom (Star-Telegram, 1/19/04) Much of the advice dispensed in The Art of the Advantage resembles that in Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Krippendorff even includes numerous quotes from it. The Art of the Advantage may come to rival Sun Tzu's work as a source of Eastern wisdom that can be put to practical use by Western business leaders. The author includes an appendix that indicates ways to use the stratagems as brainstorming tools. Shipyard lawyer finds working as a reservist in Iraq has its moments (Biloxi Sun Herald, 1/17/04) Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" still remains on the "must-read" list for most military professionals. The ancient and compelling writings are terse, yet profound, and have stood the test of time, used by modern strategists in many disciplines as simple tactics for success. Here's one that came to mind when I was reading an e-mail from a 403rd reservist g on the other side of the world: "Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions." Costello: Making A "Case" For Business Valuation (The Chattanoogan, 1/16/04) “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.” - Sun Tzu “The Art of War” Lawsuits are battles; they are strategically planned and always end up with the same result – a winner and a loser. Your valuation professional can help you end up on the winning side with a careful review of the opposing expert’s deposition transcript before trial. Such a review may point out weaknesses or inconsistencies with the expert’s written report. Moving Beyond the Core Business (Harvard Business School, 1/12/04) Strong leaders in robust markets epitomize the epithet of Sun Tzu: "The more opportunities I seize, the more opportunities multiply before me." Strong core market growth can actually heighten anxiety about finding future sources of profitable growth to maintain such exceptional momentum. Recapitalising China's banks: Injections of capital may soon wear off (The Economist, 1/8/04, Subscription Required) - To the devotees of Sun Tzu's “Art of War” who govern in Beijing it must have seemed an irresistible stratagem. On the one hand, years of poor lending have created a vast hole in the balance sheets of China's banks, putting the country's rapid economic growth at risk. On the other, China has amassed a mountain of foreign-exchange reserves—evidence, say many, especially in America, of an unfairly undervalued currency. So why not shovel some of the latter into the former and silence the critics on both fronts? On January 6th it emerged that at the end of last year, China had secretly done just that. It had injected $45 billion, or just over a tenth of its foreign-currency reserves, into two of its big four state-owned banks, China Construction Bank (CCB) and Bank of China (BOC). Running on Instinct - (The New Yorker, 1/5/04) In the running Washington conversation that poses the evergreen question “What would Karl do?”—i.e. Karl Rove, the Sun Tzu (or, if one prefers, the Beelzebubba) of the White House, the man who, it is generally assumed, spends his happiest moments anticipating George Bush versus Howard Dean next November. UN Trojan Horses: Stealing our sovereignty civilly - (Michnews, 12/31/03) Sun-Tzu was a wily old fox, ready and able to outwit the most formidable force. He clearly recognized the advantages available to the underdog, not unlike a good coach. In the international game of King of the Mountain, many wily foxes are using Sun-Tzu’s tactics and strategies against the gullible and trusting. Bills Q&A: Takeo Spikes - (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 12/27/03) Name three people, living or deceased, you’d love to take to dinner. “Walter Payton, a great running back. Sun Tzu, who wrote The Art of War. I’m really interested in fighting tactics and infiltrating the enemy’s mind. And my dad, Jimmie. He passed away in 2001.” Financial Warrior Takes a Stand in the Swamps of Jersey (New York Times, 12/22/03) George R. Zoffinger's style is more Sun Tzu than Dale Carnegie. It is commonplace to hear Zoffinger, the outspoken and witty president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, insist that he will not cave in to threats and that he will not tolerate taxpayer subsidies to wealthy team owners. And if anyone would like to sue him, go ahead, he's ready to fight. Tedford is Cal's Papa Bear (Oakland Tribune, 12/21/03) Tedford quoted Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher on warfare: "Know yourself and know your enemy, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles, and know neither are you doomed to defeat." "Coach Sweeney used to preach that," said Tedford. "The players need to take over ownership of the team. We talked about things that were broken here that needed to be fixed, and to start with a clean slate." Businesses studying vagaries of China trade (The Tennessean, 12/17/03) When John Hooton III decided to build a production facility in China for his Nashville-based Industrial Tape Specialists, he longed for a how-to book on doing business in the country. About three years later, Hooton has settled on a tome — The Art of War, Sun Tzu's treatise on military conquest. The Rising Chinese Car Market (Forbes, 12/15/03) Right now, success in China can be considered more a matter of market share than profitability, according to an Asia-based automotive industry analyst who insisted on speaking anonymously. The analyst says that this strategy--occupy a position and wear down your opponent--stems from Sun Tzu's The Art of War; that the Asian automakers tend to have more patience for this sort of thing; and that Western automakers, who are under pressure to report quarterly profits, may have a hard time turning the focus to market share. U.N. troop fantasies (Washington Times, 12/7/03) Sun Tzu admonishes: "Causing havoc in one's own army leads to victory for the enemy." If the United States is going to operate multinationally, we must insist these coalition forces match our capabilities and comport ourselves in a manner that will promote peace, not exacerbate existing problems. On the Ground, Straight From the Top (Washington Post, 12/7/03) It's not as if we can start counting enemy tanks and determine how many the enemy has left after a major tank-on-tank battle or results of BDA [bomb damage assessment] from Air Support. That's the challenge in an insurgency; it's part of Sun Tzu's dictum of knowing the enemy. So we have to gear metrics toward other means.
Home | Sonshi News | The Temple | Top of Page Site
Map |
